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By Correspondent in Abuja.
The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday ordered the remand of former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), his wife, Asabe Bashir, and their son, Abdulaziz, in correctional facilities,pending the hearing and determination of their bail applications.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik gave the order after the trio were re-arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a 16-count charge bordering on alleged N8.7 billion money laundering.
Malami and his son were ordered to be remanded at Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja, while Asabe was directed to be held at the Suleja Correctional Centre in Niger State.
Earlier, EFCC counsel, Jibrin Okutepa (SAN), informed the court that the matter was slated for the defendants’ re-arraignment and sought leave for their pleas to be taken.
“The matter is coming before your lordship for the first time. I will be applying for the plea of the defendants to be taken,” he said.
Okutepa also applied to correct clerical errors in Counts 11 and 12 of the charge, seeking to amend the sums to N325 million instead of N325 billion in Count 11, and N120 million instead of N120 billion in Count 12.
The defence counsel, Joseph Daudu (SAN), did not oppose the application, and the court granted the amendment while
the defendants pleaded not guilty to all 16 counts.
Following the plea, the prosecution applied for a trial date.
Daudu then drew the court’s attention to the bail earlier granted to the defendants on January 7 by Justice Emeka Nwite of a sister court, arguing that the conditions should be adopted since the Federal High Court is one court nationwide.
In response, Okutepa confirmed that bail had been granted by Justice Nwite but maintained that the present court had the discretion to either adopt the earlier terms or impose fresh conditions.
“I concede that the Federal High Court is one, but it is a different coram. Your lordship has the discretion to adopt the earlier bail terms or not,” he said, urging the court to ensure the defendants’ attendance for trial.
Justice Abdulmalik, however, held that the court was not bound by the previous bail decision because the matter was starting afresh (de novo).
“When a matter starts afresh, proceedings in the former court are terminated,” she ruled.
The judge declined an oral bail application by the defence, insisting that a formal application be filed, given the gravity of the allegations.
Daudu expressed concern over fixing a trial date, stating that Malami and Abdulaziz were still in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) and that he had yet to gain access to them.
Justice Abdulmalik directed the prosecution to ensure that defence counsel was granted access to the defendants.
However, Okutepa stated that the defendants were no longer in EFCC custody and were under the control of another agency.
In her ruling, Justice Abdulmalik ordered that Malami and Abdulaziz be remanded at Kuje Correctional Centre, while Asabe be remanded at the Suleja facility.
The case was adjourned until March 6 for the commencement of trial and hearing of the bail applications.
The EFCC alleges that the former AGF, his wife, and son laundered billions of naira to acquire high-value properties in Abuja and other parts of the country during Malami’s tenure as Minister of Justice.
The matter was previously before Justice Nwite, who sat as vacation judge during the Christmas/New Year break.
Our correspondent recalls that the defendants were first arraigned on December 30, 2025, in charge number FHC/ABJ/CR/700/2025.
They were initially remanded before being granted N500 million bail each, with two sureties in like sum,conditions which were subsequently perfected.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
